Making her own music, her own way: Cara Lee Coleman and her latest DIY music

Cara Lee Coleman has been making music since 2001. Star Music is her 14th solo project.  (Submitted by Cara Lee Coleman - image credit)
Cara Lee Coleman has been making music since 2001. Star Music is her 14th solo project. (Submitted by Cara Lee Coleman - image credit)
Submitted by Cara Lee Coleman
Submitted by Cara Lee Coleman

N.L. performer Cara Lee Coleman writes, records and produces her own music, and has been doing it for years. "I just can't do it any other way," she said.

Star Music is the Conception Bay South artist's 14th solo project, and a double EP consisting of 12 eclectic tracks.

"I created all the arrangements and then went through the mixing process and even the mastering process, which I'm still kind of a newbie at, but I think I got the mixing down pretty good," Coleman said in an interview with CBC's Weekend AM.

While COVID-19 forced many to work from home over the past 15 months, Coleman said she has been doing exactly that for the past 10 years.

"Bring it on," she said.

"I just kind of feel like the whole world kind of slowed down to my pace …. It kind of evened the playing field in some weird way."

Genre-bending

The title track has a disco feel that Coleman says is a straight-up tribute to Abba. Coleman's other tracks are more blues-rock and others more pop or alt-country.

"The only thing that's consistent with me is inconsistency when it comes to genres and sounds. So hopefully that'll just keep going in that direction. And I'll never, ever be a one-trick pony," she said.

Cara Lee Coleman
Cara Lee Coleman

Coleman said she hopes to get out from behind her computer and play some live shows again.

"There really isn't anything like playing live for an audience and feeling that energy in the room. There's something really special about that. And yeah, I'm kind of craving it again."

LISTEN | Cara Lee Coleman showcases her next work in this instalment of First Listen:

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